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Let’s be real. Trailers can be difficult to manoeuvre and reverse unless you’re a tradie that tows every day for a living. Throw some wintery weather conditions into the mix, and you have a recipe for a stressful and potentially dangerous exercise. Luckily, by reading up on New Zealand trailer regulations and following our ten winter towing tips, you and your load will get to your work site safely and on time.
This blog will dive into our ten nuggets of advice for safe towing during winter. Along the way, we’ll also touch on our selection of trailers for hire at Hirepool, including transport trailers, cage trailers, transport trailers and single axle trailers. Whether you’re a tradie that frequently carts heavy machinery or aggregate, or you’re new to the trailer game, it’s always good to refresh your knowledge on best practices. Let’s get started!
Let’s begin with the law in the land of the long white cloud. Our towing rules and regulations are not too dissimilar from our neighbours across the ditch. I guess you could say we’re both onto a good thing. The NZTA website has a comprehensive list of every regulation for towing, including towing capacity and speed limit with a trailer. Some of the main points include:
Whether you’re towing a tandem axle trailer or a smaller caged trailer, you could be fined or even face prosecution if you break any of these rules. Not only that, but whether it’s winter or not, you’re far more likely to cause a crash on the road. At Hirepool, we’ve got handy guides on how to calculate your towing capacity and how to load a trailer safely.
Before starting our list, it’s worth noting that we have a wide range of trailer options at Hirepool. Our wide selection of trailer equipment hire makes it easy for tradies to cart gear to and from the work site. We break our fleet into categories for your convenience. You can view our Hirepool trailers for hire online, including:
When it comes time to hire a trailer, you can start by reading our guide on everything you should know about hiring a trailer. Otherwise, order online and pick up from your nearest Hirepool branch.
As you can see, there is a lot to consider with towing before even leaving the driveway or work site. Cold and wintery weather conditions then add even more safety considerations. Let’s get stuck into our top 10 tips for towing a trailer this winter.
First on our list is ensuring your vehicle is up to the task. Towing a trailer can put a lot of extra stress on your towing vehicle. If this extra stress meant that your vehicle broke down in the middle of a winter storm, you could quickly find yourself in a lot of trouble. Ensuring your vehicle is regularly serviced is essential to get your trailer full of winter work gear or materials to the work site safely. With wet surfaces and the potential for snow; your tyres, in particular, need to have adequate tread for the slippery conditions.
No two vehicle makes are created equal, so before you drive, check how much weight your vehicle can safely tow. NZTA has helpful resources to do with vehicle weight limitations and towing capacity. You may also find our guide helpful that covers what trailer is right for your towing job.
Top tip: Like your car or truck, trailers need regular servicing and a warrant of fitness. Luckily, at Hirepool, we take care of all of that. But if you have your own trailer, it will need to be up to date.
Before you leave for the work site with a trailer in tow, whether a regular single axle trailer, furniture trailer or tandem axle trailer, check the weather. If visibility is too poor or it’s too windy, it may be a smart idea to put towing off altogether. If you need to tow a trailer in snowy conditions, you may want to consider snow chains for your vehicle. For more advice, read our general guide with tips for towing a trailer in New Zealand.
You’ve probably heard that jingle on the radio that sings about driving to the conditions, if they change, reduce your speed. These words of wisdom are true, especially when towing a trailer during winter. As if you were driving your family wagon down to get groceries in the rain, you need to lower your speed when towing in bad weather. If you’re a light vehicle towing a trailer, you’re legally meant to be travelling below 90km on the open road as it is. But it’s safe to lower your speed even further if it’s particularly rainy or windy. The slower your speed, the more control you have of your trailer.
There’s no shame in getting someone to lend a hand when towing. In fact, it’s highly recommended. In winter, visibility may be poor. Especially if you’re reversing a trailer, having a workmate or pal point you in the right direction can make the process much safer. Reversing a trailer in tight areas when it’s raining or snowing can be pretty stressful. For more general tips, check out our guide on how to reverse a trailer.
When towing a trailer, NZTA states that you must apply the 4-second rule, even when it’s sunny. If there’s a cold, southerly, slippery surfaces or just poor weather in general, applying a more significant following distance is a good idea. This will allow you more time to react if an accident were to happen. Remember, it’ll take longer to slow down and stop, whether you’re towing a transport trailer or a regular cage trailer.
Honestly, there isn’t often a time that you’ll need to pass with a trailer, given the speed restriction. But if you need to overtake, for example, if you’re passing a tractor, you need to be extra cautious during winter. Poor winter visibility may mean you cannot see as far ahead. If in doubt, don’t pass. Remember that you won’t be able to accelerate as fast as you would without a trailer in tow.
Accidents are more likely to happen when the weather is poor, or you’re in a rush. Add these two together, and you have a dangerous mix for towing a trailer. If you’re planning a towing trip, allow extra time for your journey. That way, you can stick to the proper speed limit and still reach your destination on time. You won’t feel the need to speed. Because, as we all know, you tend to make rash decisions when in a hurry. And rash decisions can lead to accidents. It’s better to arrive late than not at all!
Especially if you don’t regularly tow a trailer, it can be a good idea to practice in a large space like an empty parking lot before you head out. Both single axle trailers and tandem axle trailers take a bit of getting used to. So, getting a feel for towing in a safe area before heading out onto the open road in the wild winter weather is wise. If you are new to towing, read our guide on how to hitch and unhitch a trailer.
No matter how hard you try, sometimes accidents happen. Especially during winter. Knowing what to do if something bad occurs while towing can be the difference between an expensive headache or being stranded out in the cold. A common issue drivers face, particularly when reversing a trailer, is jack-knifing. Follow this advice if you begin to jack-knife:
It’s also recommended that you have an emergency kit and blanket in your vehicle during winter. This way, if you break down or have an accident, you’ll be safe and warm until help arrives.
Top tip: Signing up for roadside assistance like AA can also be wise during winter.
We’ve mentioned lack of visibility being a key winter safety issue several times in this blog already, and we’ll say it again. Before towing a trailer, always check that you’re visible to other drivers. Ways you can stay visible while towing include:
Being seen will help to prevent an accident.
The weather conditions that come with winter do make it more difficult for a tradie to tow a trailer. Whether you’re towing a furniture trailer, transport trailer or anything in between, following our tips and NZTA regulations will ensure you make it to and from the work site safe and sound.
At Hirepool, we have a wide variety of trailers to help make your job as a tradie easy. From carting winter work gear to building materials, we have the trailer to help. View our range online, or get in touch with your local Hirepool team. For more advice to do with trailers, check out our guide that explores everything you should know about hiring a trailer or the ultimate guide to towing a trailer in New Zealand.
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